Bionade-Biedermeier

Der Sonntagsspaziergang (Sunday stroll, detail of a picture of Carl Spitzweg, 1841). The painting is a mainstay of the historical Biedermeier

Bionade-Biedermeier is a German neologism combining Bionade (a trendy lemonade brand) and Biedermeier (an era of Central European culture between 1815 and 1848). The coinage was introduced in 2007 by Henning Sußebach, a German journalist, in an article that appeared in Zeitmagazin concerning Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg lifestyle. The hyphenated term gained traction and has been quoted and referred to since.[1][2][3]

Invention and Definition

Biedermeier refers to parallels between the historical Biedermeier and the German present. The underlying allusion is being used as well in related wordings like Bionade-Bourgeoisie, Biohème (alluding to Bohemian style and Bohemianism) and Generation Biedermeier.

Prenzlauer Berg itself, a former part of Eastern Berlin has seen significant gentrification and went through important demographic changes between 1995 und 2000.[4] There is a significant higher amount of young professionals and their families. Foreigners in the quartier often come from the G8 and have an academic expatriate background. Prenzlauer Berg hosts e.g. more Japanese than Egyptians.[4]

2007 Henning Sußebach coined the term in a Die Zeit newspaper feature about the Prenzlauer Berg (Prenzelberg) in Berlin. The term itself is being used as title. He describes various aspects in Prenzlauer Berg. The term is used in a climatical statement in the last sections of the article: Hier herrscht der Bionade-Biedermeier (Bionade-Biedermeier rules).

Prenzlauer Berg makes the impression, as if a debate about a new lower class never took place, no demographical issues, no migration. Bionade-Biedermeier rules. The 100.000 new citizens built a new town, but who has taken gain of this endeauvor except themselves? Their Prenzlauer Berg is a Ghetto, which doesn't need fences, its getting hermetic even without them. Immigration is being steered by price per square metes and the effort to keep up with the pressing urge for adaption. Whoever doesn't eat, drink, wears the right thing, gets quickly the feeling to be the wrong person for this place. One believes in openess, but went into closet. The development of a milieu is a standard process, worldwide people sort themselves according lifestyle, education, wealth. The special thing about Prenzlauer Berg is denial of the differences between its actual state and its self-image.
— Henning Sußebach 2007[4]
"Bionade would have elected you", Frankfurt am Main, scaffold advertisement after German federal election 2009

The term was integrated in the so-called Szenewiki, a temporary Duden online project.[1] The entry defined[5] Bionade-Biedermeier as the commercialization of former quartiers of the alternative scene, as Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg or -Kreuzberg, where allegedly leftist alternative accessoires went into the mainstream.[1] Veronika Immler (2012) defines it as covering educated and well-to-do New parents, that made former alternative movement treats socially and commercially acceptable. [6]

Further usage with connection to Prenzlauer Berg and Berlin

Liberated Gartenzwerge in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg

German ARD TV broadcaster used the title Boheme and Biedermeier in a 2009 documentation about Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg.[7] According to a review, the film does not do away with the clichées, it enhances them. ARD still included an interview with Hartmut Häußermann, an urban sociologist, which states antibourgeois aspects of Prenzlauer Berg. But the main focus was on protagonists, that contributed to the image of a paradise for the (organic and kid raising) well-to-do, depicting cafés where Bionade-Biedermeier sips from Fair-Trade.[7] Social Consciousness in the Bionade-Biedermeier is a chapter title in a British book about contemporary German Culture, heading an interview with film makers in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg.[8] The term has been used in seminaries,[9] political cabaret[10] and gentrification debates.[11][12]

General Background

The 2010 Shell Jugendstudie used the term Generation Biedermeier for the mainstream of the generation in 2010. Security and private happiness was more important than political engagement then.[13] Kathrin Hartmann described the trademark Bionade as being closely connected with LOHA lifestyle.[14] The group in question uses food as means of distinction [1][15][16] and separation.[15]

The term plays a role in the discussion about a Neue Bürgerlichkeit (New Bourgeoisie) which managed to integrate elements of alternative lifestyles, especially food consumption in the mainstream.[16] Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted a strategy paper for internal use of a CDU-MP, Matthias Zimmer. Along the article, German Christian Democrats were asked to describe the Greens as Bionade-Bourgeoisie, a mere Lifestyle- and Luxury political movement[17] and to appeal to less well-to-do voters by that. With an indirect reference to David Brooks Bobos in Paradise of 2000, Dusini and Edlinger stated 2012 in a Suhrkamp book,[18] that the German Bobo, the bourgeois bohemian is the one that does not want to be identified as such- even in alleged Bionade-Biedermeier paradises like Prenzlauer Berg.[19]

Expanded Usage

Sußebach gained some notoriety and, according to a 2016 piece in Deutschlandradio Kultur, "wrote German social history" with the coining of the term.[3] In the meantime, the Bionade company has been less successful than Red Bull and has been integrated in the Radeberger sales network.[20] Jörg Albrecht University of Leipzig (2016 still unfinished) doctorate project[21] Vom Kohlrabi-Apostel zum Bionade-Biedermeier (from Turnip-Preachermen[22] till BB) elaborates on the catch phrases actual background.[16] He sees a strong connection between historical religious nonkonformism, sects and religious movements like Adventism and Anthroposophy and the Lebensreform movement in the early stages of the 20th century. Albrecht referred to some parallels in the present success of organic food, veganism and vegetarianism and connected ideas about purity and health. Albrecht contributed a lecture on his work[16] during a 2015 exhibition, transmitted by rbb radio. For the present, Jörg Albrecht cites further studies claiming a Neue Bürgerlichkeit (New Bourgeoisie) which managed to integrate elements of alternative lifestyles, especially food consumption in the mainstream.[16] Albrecht contributed to a conference volume of German sociologists in 2012 with the topic.

Green party officials like Jürgen Trittin see problematic tendencies in the social phenomenon for their own party and clientele.[23] The architectural use states a possible Segregation durch Klimaschutz (segregation through climate protection), as climate protection and Energiewende related insulation measurements raise cost of living and lodging fees.[24][25] Trittin fears about losing the subcultural background of the Greens, that made them strong once.[23] Tilman Reitz assumes, that not only the ruling class may use (false) ideologies - as well the opposition (on the left) might adhere to white lies and thus end in either state socialism or Bionade-Biedermeier.[26] In a listicle of modern British stereotypes about current Germany, Süddeutsche Zeitung and Guardian exchanged cartoons from Ulli Lust (published in the Guardian). The German version refers explicitly to Bionade-Biedermeier, the English one to organic bourgeoisie (and lemonades).[27][28]

As stated in a 2015 book review about Tilman Allers sociology of small things, the catchphrase has been used in abundance in German urban media and local newspaper reports. It compares BB with terms like Latte-Macciato-mums and Tannenzäpfle-dudes.[29] 2015, the dawning of Rhabarberschorlen (rhubarb spritzer)-Rokoko“ has been mockingly suggested as the future trend.[30] 2016 Sußebach published a book containing the article.[31]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brenda Strohmaier (in German), [books.google.com Wie man lernt, Berliner zu sein: Die deutsche Hauptstadt als konjunktiver Erfahrungsraum Campus Verlag 2014, p.166, footnote 150], Campus Verlag, ISBN 978-3-593-50184-0, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  2. ↑ Reichwein, Marc (2015-10-10). "Mops ist der neue Pudel". Welt Online. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. 1 2 Tekkal, Vanderbeke, Sußebach und zwei Alt-LiberaleMigranten zu Verteidigern des Rechtsstaats machen, DLR 19.03.2016, by Margarete Hucht]
  4. 1 2 3 Henning Sußebach (2007-11-07). "Bionade-Biedermeier". Zeit Online. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
  5. ↑ Last access according to Strohmaier in 2014, the project went offline in the meanwhile
  6. ↑ Immler, Veronika; Immler, Veronika; Steinhäuser (2012-09-07). Die Monster anderer Eltern (eng. Monsters of other parents): Von Sandkastenterroristen, Schulhofmonstern und anderen Nervensägen aus der erziehungsfreien Zone (in German). MVG Verlag. p. 166. ISBN 9783864153129.
  7. 1 2 News.de-Redaktion. "ARD-Doku "Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg": Boheme und Biedermeier". Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  8. ↑ Jill E. Twark, Axel Hildebrandt (2015), Social Consciousness in the Bionade-Biedermeier: An Interview with Filmmakers Marc Bauder and Dörte Franke, in Envisioning Social Justice in Contemporary German Culture, Boydell & Brewer, ISBN 978-1-57113-569-8, Retrieved 2015-09-27
  9. ↑ Parteien, Proteste und „Bionade-Biedermeier“ – linke Projekte und linke Milieus Bildungsurlaubs-Wochenseminar vom 20. bis 24. Juni 2011 Gustav Heinemann Bildungsstätte Bad Malente
  10. ↑ "Leidender Moralist arbeitet sich durch das Bionade-Biedermeier". Die Welt. 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  11. ↑ Yvonne Franz (in German), [books.google.com Gentrification in Neighbourhood Development: Case Studies from New York City, Berlin and Vienna], Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, ISBN 978-3-8470-0400-4, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  12. ↑ Manfred Schrenk, Peter Zeile, Vasily V. Popovich, Pietro Elisei (in German), [books.google.com CORP 2012 – Proceedings/Tagungsband], Lulu.com, ISBN 978-3-9503110-3-7, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  13. ↑ Von Thomas Fischermann (2012-08-31). "Gibt es einen German Dream?". Zeit Online. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  14. ↑ Kathrin Hartmann (in German), [books.google.com Ende der Märchenstunde: Wie die Industrie die Lohas und Lifestyle-Ökos vereinnahmt], Karl Blessing Verlag, ISBN 978-3-641-03632-4, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  15. 1 2 Karin Kaudelka, Gerhard Kilger (in German), [books.google.com Eigenverantwortlich und leistungsfähig: Das selbständige Individuum in der sich wandelnden Arbeitswelt], transcript Verlag, ISBN 978-3-8394-2588-6, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Jörg Albrecht (Leipzig), Martina Löw, ed., [books.google.com "Vom „Kohlrabiapostel“ zum „Bionade-Biedermeier“"] (in German), Vielfalt und Zusammenhalt: Verhandlungen des 36. Kongresses der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie in Bochum und Dortmund 2012, Teil 1 Campus Verlag, 2014 (Campus Verlag), ISBN 978-3-593-50082-9, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  17. ↑ Tobias Rösmann, [ "Geheimpapier CDU-Mann rechnet mit „Bionadebourgeoisie“ ab"] (in German), Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, ISSN 0174-4909, . Retrieved 2015-09-28
  18. ↑ The title, In Anführungszeichen: Glanz und Elend der Political Correctness, eng. Into Brackets, High and Low of political Correctness, refers to Splendeurs et misères of Balzac.
  19. ↑ Dusini, Matthias; Edlinger, Thomas (2012-07-16). In Anführungszeichen: Glanz und Elend der Political Correctness (in German). Suhrkamp Verlag. ISBN 9783518761502.
  20. ↑ "Ende einer Ära: Bionade nur noch ein Getränk von vielen". Die Presse. 2012. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  21. ↑ "Entry of Albrecht's project at Leipzig university". home.uni-leipzig.de. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  22. ↑ Kohlrabi-Apostel (turnip preachermen) is an expression for petty life reform proponents in the Weimar Republic.
  23. 1 2 Jürgen Trittin (in German), [books.google.com Stillstand made in Germany: Ein anderes Land ist möglich!], Gütersloher Verlagshaus, ISBN 978-3-641-14745-7, books.google.com. Retrieved 2015-09-27
  24. ↑ Reinhard Jellen. "Lifestylepark für die Bionaden-Bourgoisie". Telepolis. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  25. ↑ Christoph Twickel: Recht auf Stadt. In: Archplus. 44 (2011) Nr.201/202, S.92–95, Abb. ISSN 0587-3452
  26. ↑ Reitz, Tilman (2015-11-05). "Normativität und Konflikt: zur Funktion politischer Philosophie. Reitz, Tilman. Seiten 15-108, p.42". Das zerstreute Gemeinwesen: Politische Semantik im Zeitalter der Gesellschaft (in German). Springer-Verlag. ISBN 9783658083793.
  27. ↑ Oltermann, Philip; Blight, Garry; Lust, Ulli (2012-09-19). "Germany: the new stereotypes, from Angry Citizens to Bossy Ossi". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  28. ↑ Germany, Süddeutsche.de GmbH, Munich,. "Nationalklischees – So sehen die Briten die neuen Deutschen". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  29. ↑ Reichwein, Marc (2015-10-10). "Mops ist der neue Pudel, Review of Tilman Allert, Soziologie der kleinen Dinge, Die Welt". Welt Online. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
  30. ↑ "Die Ära des "Rhabarberschorlen-Rokoko"". Schwäbische Zeitung. 2011-06-03. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  31. ↑ Sußebach, Henning (2016-03-30). Die große Welt gleich nebenan: Expeditionen in den deutschen Alltag (in German). Ch. Links Verlag. ISBN 9783861538752.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/25/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.